The Role of the Kink Instability of a Long-Lived Active Region AR 9604

We have traced the long-term evolution of a non-Hale active region composed of NOAA 9604–9632–9672–9704–9738, which displayed strong transient activity with associated geomagnetic effects from September to December, 2001. By studying the development of spot-group and line-of-sight magnetic field together with the evolution of H_α filaments, the EUV and X-ray corona (TRACE 171 Å, Yohkoh/SXT), we have found that the magnetic structure of the active region exhibited a continuous clockwise rotation throughout its entire life. Vector magnetic data obtained from Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS) and full-disk line-of-sight magnetograms from SOHO/MDI allowed the determination of the best-fit force-free parameter (proxy of twist), α_best, and the systematic tilt angle (proxy of writhe) which were both found to take positive values. Soft X-ray coronal loops from Yohkoh/SXT displayed a pronounced forward-sigmoid structure in period of NOAA 9704. These observations imply that the magnetic flux tube (loops) with the same handedness (right) of the writhe and the twist rotated clockwise in the solar atmosphere for a long time. We argue that the continuous clockwise rotation of the long-lived active region may be a manifestation that a highly right-hand twisted and kinked flux tube was emerging through the photosphere and chromosphere into the corona.